Palbociclib is clinically approved for use in treating breast cancer, but according to a new study, the molecular mechanism behind the drug’s effectiveness is not what scientists had thought it was. Seth Rubin, a professor of chemistry and biochemistry at UC Santa Cruz, said the new findings, published December 13 in Science, emerged from his […]
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After fatal school shootings, antidepressant use spikes among student survivors
The children who experience a school shooting but live to see their parents and friends again are often called survivors. But by at least one measure of mental health, they too are among a gunman’s victims, new research finds. In the two years after a fatal school shooting, the rate at which antidepressants were prescribed […]
Human consumption of fish antibiotics investigated in new study
Consumers seeking cheaper, faster access to antibiotics are apparently consuming antibiotics intended for treating fish rather than humans, according to research presented at the ASHP (American Society of Health-System Pharmacists) 54th Midyear Clinical Meeting and Exhibition. This consumption may lead to dangerous unintended consequences such as adverse side-effects, treatment failures, and antibiotic drug resistance, said […]
Factors examined for time to first therapy for biologic DMARD in RA
(HealthDay)—For older patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), there is considerable variation in time to receipt of first biologic disease-modifying antirheumatic drug (DMARD) after prescription of the first conventional synthetic (cs) DMARD, according to a study published online Dec. 6 in JAMA Network Open. Mark Tatangelo, from the University of Toronto, and colleagues describe trends in […]
Popular heartburn drugs may up odds of stomach bug
(HealthDay)—If you’re one of the millions who rely on medications known as proton pump inhibitors for relief from heartburn, you may be at higher risk of illness from a stomach bug, new research suggests. Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) include medications such as Nexium, Prevacid, Protonix and Prilosec. The study from France found that people who […]
New diagnostic approach rapidly identifies the right antibiotics
Patients with bacterial infections who are promptly diagnosed and treated with the most effective antibiotic fare better than those who wait. But current methods of identifying which drug will kill the pathogen take days to yield results, and thus patients are often prescribed broad-spectrum antibiotics while waiting for a diagnosis. The overuse of these types […]
Patient’s place of residence matters when choosing cost-effective anticoagulation therapy
Appropriately selected anticoagulation therapy can help to reduce the medical costs of patients suffering from atrial fibrillation. A new study from the University of Eastern Finland shows that direct oral anticoagulants can be a more cost-effective alternative than traditional warfarin therapy when the patient’s place of residence is taken into consideration. Published in Geospatial Health, […]
Is opioid treatment available to those who need it most?
The U.S. opioid epidemic is still raging—it’s particularly pronounced in low-income areas and in those where people lack access to health care services, which includes cities in Michigan and across the Rust Belt. But the effectiveness of efforts to provide treatment and recovery options to those who need it most—that is, in locations with the […]
Research: Chloroquine makes tuberculosis bacteria more susceptible to other antimalarial drugs
A team of researchers at the Indian Institute of Science and the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, both in India, have found that the antimalarial drug chloroquine can make the tuberculosis bacteria more sensitive to other antimalarial drugs. In their paper published in the journal Science Translational Medicine, the group describes their study of the […]
ACP addresses high cost of prescription drugs in new policy papers
The American College of Physicians (ACP) today released new policy papers calling for changes that would mitigate rising prescription drug costs. Policy Recommendations for Public Health Plans to Stem the Escalating Costs of Prescription Drugs: A Position Paper From the American College of Physicians and Policy Recommendations for Pharmacy Benefit Managers to Stem the Escalating […]